By Wadza Botomani
After days of negotiations, the funeral plans for Zambia’s former president, Edgar Lungu, have been settled. Lungu, who served as president from 2015 to 2021, passed away 11 days ago in South Africa while undergoing treatment for an undisclosed illness.
Initially, his family revealed that Lungu had instructed that his political rival, current President Hakainde Hichilema, should not be near his body. However, following discussions, an agreement was reached allowing Hichilema to preside over a state funeral on Sunday, 22 June.
The dispute had caused confusion among mourners, but the government and Lungu’s family have now outlined the arrangements:
– The former president’s body will arrive in Lusaka on Wednesday via a private charter flight.
– It will be received by the family at the airport with full military honors before being taken to Lungu’s residence.
– From Thursday, the body will lie in state at a conference center for three days for public viewing.
– A state funeral will be held on Sunday, followed by burial at Embassy Park, the official presidential burial site, on Monday.
At a joint press briefing in South Africa, Lungu family spokesperson Makebi Zulu apologized for the delays, stating they were honoring the late president’s wishes. He also emphasized the family’s expectation that the government would adhere to the agreement.
Government representative Patrick Kangwa called for national unity and thanked citizens for their patience.
Lungu lost the 2021 election to Hichilema by a wide margin and later attempted a political comeback. However, Zambia’s Constitutional Court barred him from running again, citing term limits. Despite his disqualification, he remained a vocal critic of Hichilema’s administration, accusing the government of harassment—a claim officials denied.
The funeral proceedings aim to balance Lungu’s personal wishes with state protocols, marking the end of an influential political chapter in Zambia.
